Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02455515 2004-O1-21
1
FINISHER FOR A VEHICLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTI~N
Field of the Invention
Priority is claimed on Japanese application No. 2003-187067, f led June 30,
2003, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a finisher for a vehicle that allows a switch
for
disabling and enabling operations of keyless entry systems such as back doors,
trunks,
and the like to be easily fitted in a door panel or the like.
Description of Related Art
Conventionally, as is described in Japanese Patent Application, First
Publication (JP-A) No. 2001-152710, for example, a door handle used in an
electronic
lock release type of door in a vehicle is known in which, in a door handle
having a
concave area into which a hand can be inserted, a lifting type of operation
portion and a
switch that performs a release operation on an electronic lock are installed
within an
aperture formed on atop surface of the concave area, and a spring member that
presses
the switch and a spring member that causes the operation portion to be reset
are provided
between the operation portion and the switch. In this type of door handle,
because the
operating force on the operation portion is transmitted to the switch via a
spring member
it is possible to reduce the load on the switch and prevent damage to the
switch.
In recent years, keyless entry systems in which a door is locked or unlocked
by a
remote operation without an ignition key being used have been employed in
automobiles
and the like. These systems do away with the troublesome task of having to
insert an
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ignition key in a door key cylinder and then rotate it each time the car door
is locked or
unlocked. In these systems, a lock signal or an unlock signal is transmitted
by radio
wave or the like towards a receiving circuit installed inside a vehicle from a
transmission
circuit built into the ignition key. In the apparatus in the vehicle that
receives the signal
the door key is either locked or unlocked depending on the received signal and
the state
of the lock when the signal is received. However, on the contrary, it is
inconvenient if
the state of the door lock is immediately switched when a user carrying the
ignition key
unintentionally approaches the vehicle. Therefore, the operation of the entry
system can
be restricted such that the state of the door lock is not altered even if a
signal is received,
and a switch that implements or removes such operation restrictions is mounted
on the
vehicle or the like.
However, if an operation restriction/ release switch is installed in an
obvious
position such as on the back door, then there is a possibility of a person
other than the
user (for example, a child) damaging the switch in some manner. Therefore, in
order to
inhibit the switch being operated by anyone other than the user it was
conceived that the
switch could be formed integrally with a finisher so that it did not stand
out. However,
because a finisher is formed having a narrow, elongated shape, when a sizeable
load
acted on the switch, stress sufficient for the finisher to be deformed was
applied to the
finisher, which prevented the finisher from being used for this puzpose. In
the
mechanism used in the door handle described in JP-ANo. 2001-152710, the
mechanism
around the switch ends up becoming complex which makes it difficult to be
applied in a
narrow, elongated finisher.
The present invention was conceived in view of the above circumstances and it
is an object thereof to provide a finisher for a vehicle that allows a switch
that restricts an
operation of a keyless entry system of a trunk or back door or the like or
removes such a
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restriction to be mounted easily in a door panel or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a finisher for
a
vehicle having: an elongated body; a plurality of mounting portions that are
formed
protruding from a rear surface side of the body, and which mounting members
that are
mounted on a vehicle body are either held by or fixed to; and a bracket formed
in an
elongated shape and having a switch in a vicinity of a center portion in a
longitudinal
direction thereof, wherein the bracket is aligned along a longitudinal
direction of the
body, and two end portions of the bracket are mounted on the mounting portions
in such
a manner that a bridge is formed between two adjacent mounting portions from
among
the plurality of mounting portions, and the switch is operable from a vehicle
exterior side
ofthe body.
It is also possible to provide the bracket and the mounting portions with a
positioning and engaging portion that determines a positional relationship
between the
bracket and the mounting portions.
It is preferable for the switch to be exposed via a through hole formed in the
body to the outside of a vehicle in a state of being set slightly back from an
exterior
surface of the finisher or being essentially flush with the exterior surface
of the finisher.
It is also possible for the switch to be formed integrally with the bracket by
outsert molding.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS
FIG 1 is a perspective view showing a rear portion of a vehicle such as an
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automobile in which the finisher for a vehicle of the present invention is
mounted.
FIG 2 is a frontal view showing an embodiment of the finisher of the present
invention.
FIG 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG 2.
FIG 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG 2:
FIG. S is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG 2.
FIG 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG 2.
FIG 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E in FIG 2.
FIG 8 is a perspective view seen from the rear surface side of the finisher
shown
in FIG 2.
FIG 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a second mounting portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and
illustrated above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the
invention and
are not to be considered as limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and
other
modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the
present
invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by
the
foregoing description and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
The present invention will now be described in detail based on embodiments
thereof.
FIG 1 is a perspective view showing a rear portion of a vehicle such as an
automobile in which the finisher for a vehicle of the present invention
(referred to below
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simply as "finisher") is mounted. FICz 2 is a frontal view showing
an:embodiment of
the finisher.
FIG 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG 2. FIG 4 is a
cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG 2. FIG 5 is a cross-
sectional view
S taken along the line C-C in FIG 2. FIG 6 is a cross-sectional view taken
along the line
D-D in FIG 2. FIG 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E in FIG
2.
FIG 8 is a perspective view seen from the rear surface side of the finisher
shown
in FIG 2. FIG 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a second mounting portion.
A back door 1 I is provided at a rear surface of a vehicle 10 so as to open
towards the rear (i.e., towards an observer looking at FIG 1 ). A back window
plate 12
is mounted above the back door 11.
A concave portion that forms a license plate mounting portion 15 on which a
license plate (not shown) is mounted is formed as a hollow shape via a step
portion 14
from the vehicle exterior (i.e., the right hand side in FIGS. 3 and 4) in a
central portion in
the vehicle transverse direction of a back door outer panel 13 below the back
window
plate 12. In addition, a concave area that forms a finisher mounting portion
I6 on
which a finisher 1 is mounted is formed above the license plate mounting
portion 15 of
the back door outer panel 13.
Note that, although there are localized portions of the back door outer panel
13
where the thickness changes, here the back door outer panel 13 is manufactured
by
integrated molding from synthetic resin using a large size injection molding
apparatus,
and it is also possible for the license plate mounting portion 15 and the
finisher mounting
portion I b and the like to be formed as deep concave portions. However, the
finisher of
the present invention is not particularly restricted and it is also possible
for the finisher to
be mounted on a vehicle body panel such as a back door outer panel
manufactured from
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metal plate.
The finisher 1 is mounted on the finisher mounting portion 16 of the back door
outer panel 13 by holding members 5 and 6 that are held by or fixed to
mounting portions
3 and 4 described below, and is orientated such that the longitudinal
direction thereof
runs in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
The finisher 1 has a design surface 2a that forms an exterior surface when the
finisher is mounted on a vehicle, an elongated main body 2 (referred to below
as
"finisher body") formed having a substantially U shaped cross section by an
upper flange
2e and a lower flange 2f that are folded backwards from end portions of the
design
surface 2a so as to stand upwards pointing towards a rear surface, mounting
portions 3
and 4 formed so as to bridge the upper flange 2e and the lower flange 2f of
the main
body 2, and a bracket 20 that is formed in an elongated shape and in a center
portion in
the longitudinal direction of which a switch 40 is mounted.
The finisher mounting portion 16 has a concave configuration that is hollowed
out from the exterior surface of the back door outer pane 13. By mounting the
finisher
1 such that it covers the concave shaped finisher mounting portion 16, the
design surface
2a of the finisher 1 forms a surface that is essentially flush with the
exterior surface of
the back door outer panel 13.
The finisher body 2 is a molded component formed by injection molding or the
like from a synthetic resin such as an acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene
copolymer (ABS),
polybarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), a PC/ABS polymer alloy, and the like.
The
configuration of the finisher body 2 is such that the width (i.e:, the
dimension in the .
vertical direction in FIG 1 ) thereof is broadest in the central portion in
the longitudinal
direction thereof, while the width thereof is narrowest at both end portions.
The upper
flange 2e and the lower-flange 2f that protrude in a manner in which they are
folded back
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towards the rear surface 2b are provided respectively at a top edge portion
and a bottom
edge portion in the transverse direction of the finisher body 2 and extending
in the
longitudinal direction of the finisher body 2. The fold base portions 2h and
2i of the
upper flange 2e and the lower flange 2f are not right angles, arid have a
radius of
curvature within a range of 0.1 to 3 mm.
As is shown in FICx 7, a center portion 2c in the longitudinal direction
(i.e., the
Ieft - right direction in FIG 7) of the finisher body 2 is curved so as to
protrude further
towards the vehicle exterior (i.e., downwards in FICx 7) than end portions 2d
of the
finisher body 2. A housing space 1 &a capable of housing the mounting portions
3 and 4
of the finisher body 2, the bracket 20 and the like onto which the switch 40
are mounted
is secured between the finisher body 2 and the finisher mounting portion 16
(i.e., the
back door outer panel 13).
Note that, although not shown in the drawings, when an even greater standard
regarding dust proof properties and water proof properties is demanded between
the
vehicle body panel and the finisher when the finisher is mounted, a spacer and
end rubber
and the like formed from soft synthetic resin may be attached to peripheral
edges of the
finisher.
As is shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the finisher body 2 has a through hole 9
penetrating from the rear surface 2b to the design surface 2a. The through
hole 9 is
formed so that, when the bracket 20 (described below) is mounted on the rear
side of the
finisher body 2, an operation portion (i.e., pressing surface) 40a of the
switch 40 that is
fixed to the bracket 20 is exposed to the outside from the design surface 2a
of the finisher
body 2. As a result, even when the finisher body 2 covers the bracket 20, it
is possible
to operate the switch 40 from outside the finisher body 2 by pressing the
pressing surface
40a of the switch 40.
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The mounting portions 3 and 4 are formed integrally with 'the finisher body 2.
Here, mounting members such as a bolt 5 and a clip 6 are either held or fixed.
Note that,
here, only the portions 3 and 4 to which the bracket 20 is mounted and fixed
are shown
as mounting portions for mounting the finisher body 2 on the back door outer
panel 13
(i.e., on the vehicle body side), however, as is shown in FIG l, portions
identical to the
mounting portions 3 and 4 are also provided on the side of the finisher body 2
on which
the switch 40 is not provided (i.e., on the left side in FICz 1 ). However,
because it is not
necessary for a bracket 20 to be mounted and fixed to these mounting portions,
positions
corresponding to the bracket mounting portions 3n and 4b (described below) are
not
necessary here.
As is shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, a spacer 17 formed by double-sided adhesive tape
or resin or the like is interposed between a spacer adhesion surface 2g on the
top surface
of the upper flange 2e of the finisher body 2 and an upper step portion 16b of
the finisher
mounting portion 16. Vibration in the finisher body 2 is cushioned by the
spacer 17,
and the generation of rattling noise is suppressed.
The first mounting portion 3 is provided at a position adjacent to an end
portion
2d of the finisher body 2. The first mounting portion 3 is formed
substantially as a box
shape protruding from the rear surface 2b of the finisher body 2. The first
mounting
portion 3 has a pair of side walls 3a and 3b positioned facing each other in
the transverse
direction, a top wall 3c that is separated from the rear surface 2b via an
inner space 3s of
the first mounting portion 3 and that joins the side walls 3a and 3b, and an
end wall 3d
that joins end portions of the side walls 3a and 3b on the end portion 2d side
thereof and
that is separated from the rear surface 2b of the finisher body 2 by a gap 3e.
The top wall 3c has a notch shaped insertion groove 3j that holds the mounting
member 5 (in this case a bolt) that mounts the finisher body 2 on the vehicle
body (i.e.,
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on the back door outer panel l3), a bracket mounting portion 3n to which a
first fixing .
portion 2I of the bracket 20 (described later) is fixed, and a screw hole 3p
that is formed
in the bracket mounting portion 3n and in which a fastening member ? (a screw)
that
fixes the bracket 20 is fastened.
The insertion groove 3j is formed so as to communicate from an aperture
porkion
3i that opens onto the side of the finisher body 2 near the end portion 2d. By
inserting
the bolt 5 such that the head portion 5a thereof is fully inserted in the
insertion groove 3j
from the aperture portion 3i, the bolt 5 is stably held with the shaft portion
5b of the bolt
protruding from the mounting portion 3 towards the vehicle body side thereof
(i.e.,
I O towards the top of FIG. 7) at a predetermined orientation.
A sealing washer 51 is interposed between the bolt 5 and the back door outer
panel 13, and the shaft portion 5b of the bolt 5 is inserted into a mounting
hole 13c of the
back door outer panel 13. By then screwing a nut 52 onto the shaft portion 5b
from the
vehicle interior side (i.e., from the top side of FIG 7) of the back door
outer panel 13, the
I 5 first mounting portion 3 is mounted on and fixed to the back door outer
panel 13.
The bracket mounting portion 3n is provided at an inner surface side facing
the
inner space 3s of the first mounting portion 3. The first fixing portion 21 of
the bracket
20 is inserted from an aperture 3m that opens onto a side of the first
mounting portion 3
nearest the center portion 2c, and is housed in the inner space 3s. The first
fixing
20 portion 21 is then fixed to the bracket mounting portion 3n.
The second mounting portion 4 is provided at a position somewhat closer to the
center portion 2c than to the end portion 2d of the f nisher body 2 compared
to the first
mounting portion 3. The second mounting portion 4 has a mounting member
holding
portion 4a and a bracket mounting portion 4b that are formed so as to form a
bridge
25 between the upper flange 2e and the lower flange 2f of the finisher body 2,
and an
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lU
aperture portion 4c that is connected to the mounting member holding portion
4b and that
opens from the center portion 2c side of the finisher body 2.
The mounting member holding portion 4a and the bracket mounting portion 4b
are provided integrally with each other and separated from the rear surface 2b
of the
finisher body 2 so as to secure an inner space 4s of the mounting portion 4
that continues
on from the aperture portion 4c.
As is shown in FIG. 9, the mounting member holding portion 4a has a slide hole
4d that is formed so as to continue on from the aperture portion 4c. The slide
hole 4d
has a release portion 4f that continues on from the aperture portion 4c,, a
through hole 4e
that is formed as a C shaped notch that connects with the interior of the
release portion 4f,
and a pair of projections 4g that can be elastically deformed and that
protrude to the
inside of the slide hole 4d at a transition portion between the through hole
4e and the
release portion 4f.
A head portion 6a of a clip 6 is inserted from the release portion 4f of the
slide
hole 4d and is pushed as far as the through hole 4e thereby elastically
deforming the
projections 4g. Consequently, the head portion 6a is fixed by the latches of
the
protrusions 4g so that it cannot be removed. As a result, an engaging portion
6b of the
clip 6 is stably held such that it protrudes from the second mounting portion
4.
By engaging the engaging portion 6b of the clip 6 in an engaging hole 13d
formed in the back door outer panel 13, the second mounting portion 4 is
mounted on
and fixed to the back door outer panel 13.
A second fixing portion 25 of the bracket 20 that is described below is
mounted
on the bracket mounting portion 4b. This is described below in detail,
however, briefly,
the bracket mounting portion 4b has a rib 33 that engages with a notch shaped
concave
portion 3 I of the bracket 20, and a groove 34 into which a hook 32 of the
bracket 20 is
CA 02455515 2004-O1-21
11
inserted. The groove 34 is formed between a pair of rib shaped side walls 35
and 36.
The rib 33 and the groove 34 are positioned so as to surround a screw hole 4p
in which a
f xing member 8 (a screw) that fixes the bracket 20 is fastened.
The bracket 20 is schematically formed as a plate shaped member from a
material having rigidity such as a metal such as steel or stainless steel, a
hard plastic,
fzber reinforced plastic (FRP) or the like. It is preferable that the material
used for the
bracket 20 is harder than the material used for the finisher body 2.
The bracket 20 may be formed, for example, in an elongated plate Having step
portions 22 and 24 by blanking a metal strip into an elongated plate and then
forming the
step portions.
Specifically, vicinities of both end portions in the longitudinal direction of
the
elongated bracket 20 form fixing portions 21 and 25 that are used to fix the
bracket 20 to
the mounting portions 3 and 4 on the finisher body 2 side: The first and
second fixing
portions 21 and 25 respectively have mounting holes 21 a and 25a into which
the fixing
members 7 and 8 (screws) are inserted.
Here, the periphery of the mounting hole 21a of the first fixing portion 21
protrudes towards the vehicle exterior side of the bracket 20 (i.e., to the
right in FIG 6)
and a female thread is formed in an inner surface of the mounting hole 21 a.
Note that in
order to form the female thread in the mounting hole 21 a, it is also possible
to fasten or
weld a nut on the first fixing portion 21.
Here, the mounting portions 3 and 4 protrude from the rear surface 2b side of
the
finisher body 2. The bracket mounting portions 3n and 4b used to fasten the
bracket 20
to the mounting portions 3 and 4 axe provided at positions away from the rear
surface 2b
of the finisher body 2 via the inner spaces 3s and 4s of the mounting portions
3 and 4.
Therefore, the bracket 20 forms a bridge between the mounting portions 3 and 4
in a state
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12
of being separated from the rear surface 2b of the f nisher body 2.
As is described above, the first fixing portion 2I is fixed to the bracket
mounting
portion 3n of the first mounting portion 3 of the finisher body 2.
The second fixing portion 25 has a concave portion 3I formed in a notch shape
that opens from a side portion in the transverse direction of the bracket Z0,
and a hook 32
that protrudes in the longitudinal direction of the bracket 20.
The concave portion 31 engages with the rib 33 protruding from the second
mounting portion 4. The hook 32 is bent towards the rear surface 2b of the
finisher
body 2 and is engaged with the groove 34 of the second mounting portion 4 by
being
I0 inserted into the groove 34. The concave portion 31 and the hook 32 are
positioned so
as to surround a mounting hole 25a in which a fixing member 8 (a screw) that
fixes the
bracket 20 is fastened.
The width of the concave portion 31, the width of the rib 33 (i.e., the width
in
the left - right direction in FIG 8), the width of the hook 32, and the width
of the groove
34 (i.e., the width in the up - down direction in FICx 8) are such that the
concave portion
31 can be engaged in a suitable state with the rib 33, and the hook 32 can be
engaged in a
suitable state with the groove 34.
As a result of the engagement of the concave portion 31 with the rib 33,
movement of the bracket 20 in the vehicle transverse direction (i.e., the left
- right
direction of the vehicle; the left - right direction in FIG 9) relative to the
finisher body 2
is restricted.
As a result of the engagement of the hook 32 with the groove 34, movement of
the bracket 20 in the vehicle height direction (i.e., the up - down direction
of the vehicle;
the up - down direction in FIG 9) relative to the finisher body 2 is
restricted.
In this manner, as a result of the engagements between the concave portion 31
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13
and the rib 33 and between the hook 32 and the groove 34 (i.e., of the
positioning
engagement portion 30), even if the fixing member 8 is not yet fastened, it
becomes
difficult for the bracket 20 to move along the surface of the bracket mounting
portion 4b
of the second mounting portion 4. Moreover, positions of the mounting hole 25a
of the
second fixing portion 25 of the bracket 20 and the screw hole 4p on the
finisher body 2
side of the second mounting portion 4 can be aligned and fixed.
The bracket 20 has a switch seat portion 23 on which the switch 40 is fixed in
the center portion in the longitudinal direction between the fixing portions
21 and 25;
As is shown in FICA 8, the switch 40 is larger than the width of the bracket
20 (i.e., than
the size of the bracket 20 in the up - down direction in FIG 8), and can be
formed, for
example, in an integral state with the bracket 20 by outsert molding.
The switch seat portion 23 has a penetrating hole 23a through which a harness
41 can penetrate extending towards the vehicle interior side (i.e., towards
the left in FIG
5) beyond the switch 40. A connector 42 is mounted on a distal end of the
harness 4l.
A concave portion 13b is also formed at a position on the back door outer
panel 13 that is
the vehicle interior side of the switch seat portion 23. A through hole 13a
through
which the harness 41 penetrates is opened in the bottom surface of the concave
portion
13b. In addition, a seal member 43 formed from rubber or the like is fitted in
order to
form a seal between the outer periphery of the harness 41 and the edge of the
through
hole 13a.
Step portions 22 and 24 are formed between the fixing portions 21 and 25 and
the switch seat portion 23. As a result, the strength of the bracket 20 is
increased and
twisting and bending thereof can be restricted.
As is shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the pressing surface 40a of the switch 40 is
exposed to the outer side of the finisher body 2 by the through hole 9 formed
in the
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14
finisher body 2, as was described above. ~ In addition, the design surface 2a
of .the
finisher body 2 is essentially flush with the pressing surface 40a of the
switch 40:
The switch 40 here is an operation restriction/ release switch and is
connected to
a control section 49 that performs overall control to make a lock release
operation
possible or impossible for each door lock mechanism provided in all doors of a
vehicle
body (specifically, to make a lock release operation possible or impossible in
an
electronic switch or the like that operates the lock release of a door lock
mechanism).
The control section 49 has an owner identification function and if a pressing
operation is
performed on the switch 40 when the control section 49 has performed the owner
identification function to identify that an owner is approaching the vehicle
body; then a
lock release operation is allowed for all doors. As long as the lock release
operation by
the control section 49 is not allowed, then even if a lock release operation
is performed
individually for each door, the lock release operation of the door lock
mechanism is not
performed.
An example of the procedure for mounting the finisher 1 of the present
embodiment on a vehicle body (i.e., on a back door outer panel) is given
below. After
the finisher body 2 has been mounted on the bracket 20 that is formed
integrally with the
switch 40 and has been fixed by the screws 7 and 8, then with the gap between
the
finisher body 2 and the finisher mounting portion 16 of the back door outer
panel I3 set
at a predetermined size, the harness 41 is inserted through the through hole
13a in the
back door outer panel 13, and the seal member 43 is fitted between the harness
41 and
the through hole 13a using a suitable tool. Subsequently, the gap.between the
finisher
body 2 and the finisher mounting portion I6 is closed, and the clip 6 is
engaged with the
engaging hole 13d of the back door outer panel 13. T'he bolt S is then
inserted into the
mounting hole 13c of the back door outer panel 13 and, once waterproof
properties have
CA 02455515 2004-O1-21
IS
been secured by the sealing washer 51, the nut 52 is tightened, thereby firmly
mounting .
the finisher I on the vehicle body.
In this manner, according to the finisher for a vehicle of the present
embodiment,
it is possible to mount a switch 40 that implements or removes operation
restrictions on a
back door outer panel 13 even on a finisher for a vehicle having a narrow,
elongated
configuration.
(1) The switch 40 is provided in the vicinity of a center portion in the
longitudinal
direction of the bracket 20, and fixing portions 21 and 25 that fix the
bracket 20 to the
finisher body 2 are provided at both end portions in the longitudinal
direction of the
bracket 20. As a result, the operation force on the switch 40 is distributed
between two
locations on the finisher body 2, thereby reducing the load on the finisher
body 2.
(2) Bracket mounting portions 3n and 4b for mounting the bracket 20 on which
the
switch 40 is fixed on the finisher body 2 are provided at first and second
mounting
portions 3 and 4 that are used to mount the finisher body 2 on the back door
outer panel
13. As a result, the pressing force when the switch 40 is operated by being
pressed is
transmitted from the bracket 20 directly to the back door outer panel 13 via
the first and
second mounting portions 3 and 4.
(3) The first and second mounting portions 3 and 4 to which pressing force on
the
switch 40 is transmitted via the bracket 20 are formed separated from the rear
surface 2b
of the finisher body 2 by the upper flange 2e, the lower flange 2f, and the
side walls 3a
and 3b. As a result, it is di~cult for distortion to be generated in the
design surface 2a
of the finisher body 2 as a result of the pressing force. This fact is
particularly
meritorious when surface processing to provide a metallic gloss color is
performed on the
design surface 2a of the finisher by deposition, sputtering, plating or the
like.
(4) The upper flange 2e and the lower flange 2f to which the bracket mounting
CA 02455515 2004-O1-21
16
portions 3 and 4 are joined are folded backwards from the edges in the
transverse
direction of the finisher design surface 2a so as to stand upwards pointing
towards the
rear surface. As a result, what are known as sink marks are not generated in
the design
surface 2a, and the external appearance of the finisher can be made extremely
attractive.
S Moreover, because an R of approximately 0.1 to 3 mm is imparted to the fold
base
portions 2h and 2i of the respective flanges Ze and 2f, there is no sense of
sharpness.
(5) The pressing surface 40a of the switch 40 is exposed to the outside of the
finisher 1 by the through hole 9 formed in the finisher body 2, and the design
surface 2a
of the finisher body 2 is essentially flush with the pressing surface 40a of
the switch 40.
As a result, the existence of the switch 40 does not tend to stand out, and
there is an
excellent sense of integration with the finisher body.
(6) The concave portion 31 and the rib 33 with which it engages as well as the
hook
32 and the groove 34 with which it engages are each provided as a positioning
engaging
portion 30 that determines the positional relationship between the bracket 20
and the
mounting portions 3 and 4 of the finisher body 2. As a result, when fixing the
bracket
to the finisher body 2, it is di~cult for the bracket 20 to move and the task
of
tightening the fixing members (screws) 7 and 8 is simplified.
The present invention is described above based on preferred embodiments
thereof, however, the present invention is not limited solely to these
embodiments and
20 various modifications thereof can be made insofar as they do not depart
from the scope
of the present invention.
For example, the location where the finisher for a vehicle of the present
invention is mounted is not limited to a back door panel, and it is also
possible for the
finisher for a vehicle of the present invention to be mounted on the trunk of
a vehicle and
the like.
CA 02455515 2004-O1-21
17
As has been described above, according to the finisher for a vehicle of the
present invention, because the operation force on the switch is distributed
between two
locations on the finisher body, and is also applied from the mounting portions
directly to
the vehicle body, the load on the finisher body is reduced and it difficult
for distortion
caused by the pressing force to be generated in the design surface. '
Moreover, the
switch does not stand out and the possibility of the switch being operated
unlawfully by
someone is reduced.
When a positioning engaging portion that determines a positional relationship
between the bracket and the mounting portions is provided, when mounting the
bracket
on the finisher body, it is difficult for the bracket to move and the task of
tightening the
fixing members (screws) is simplified.
When the switch is formed integrally with the bracket by outsert molding, it
is
easy to reliably fix a switch having a larger diameter than the width of the
bracket to the
bracket, which is excellent from the viewpoint of productivity:
